Review : Vat 69

Vat 69 has had its share on the silver screen be it in a few vintage Bollywood movies or in a sitcom or two. This fella is home to a blend of 40 different (grain and malted) whiskies and has a history which dates back till 1863. Although being a premium whisky here in India, it is an entry level scotch around the world.

The story behind the 69 is also interesting and in a way adds to the folklore. William Sanderson in his search for the perfect blend had created 100 casks of differently blended whiskies. To have it tasted, he had asked a panel of experts to test each one of them. I’m sure it’s no mystery and you can certainly guess which particular cask had won their affection. And hence the name Vat ‘69’!

On the bottle there is no age statement, but it being labelled scotch means the youngest drop would need to be at least 3 years old. The low maturity of the whisky also shows in its physical characteristics with the fluid exhibiting lot less viscosity while flowing down the sides of the glass. The bottle is dyed green bearing the name of its distillery, along with William’s signature and a red circular stamp-like sticker which gives the bottle a pleasant appeal.

Eyes: Golden in color

Nose: The first sniff gives a sweet creamy caramelized scent followed by smoky spice. The sweet aroma isn’t overpowering and is a little less mighty as compared to the Black Dog Gold Triple Reserve. Additionally you also get malt and wooden scents along with slight notes of what seemed to be apple.

Palate: The drink is moderately sweet and creamy, and is accompanied by a malty, burnt flavor. However, it does tend to be a bit harsh at times with the spirit kicking in.

Finish: Has a warm winey taste that lingers on, but does end quite quickly.

All in all the Vat 69 is a light spirit albeit a bit too sweet. It’s quite straightforward and unidirectional in nature; what’s on the nose is what you taste on the palate. I can see why this drink has its share of lovers and haters. And to be honest, for the price, it is good ‘value for money’ scotch.

The Vat 69 can be enjoyed in any manner you chose, and I find it to be one of those ‘regulars’ in your cabinet..

I enjoyed my VAT 69 as it was unlike many other Scotch whiskys I’ve had.
One reason I bought it was because Ernest Shackleton took it to Antarctica with him!
As I downed a bottle of the recreated Old Mackinlay Highland Malt – rediscoverd after 100 years in the frozen ice below Shackleton’s hut from the 1907 expedition – very tasty indeed – I had to have the whisky from his later voyage!
I blogged about it at; https://westmeathwhiskeyworld.wordpress.com/2015/09/20/a-tale-of-two-whiskies/
Slainte